


Emma Steals the Book

by littlesparkleshark



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: BDSM, Emma has a kink for the Evil Queen, F/F, Fluff, Humor, Idiots in Love, Sex Magic, Slow Burn, hook is here but he's not having a good time, magic but its a kink, the heart ripping thing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-10
Updated: 2019-09-10
Packaged: 2020-10-05 00:37:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 21,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20480087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlesparkleshark/pseuds/littlesparkleshark
Summary: A book of dark magic goes missing from Regina's vault. The whole town is on edge waiting for the worst to happen. Regina soon finds out that not everything is as it seems, and Emma's an idiot.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Emma Steals the Book [Art]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20554892) by [napfreak](https://archiveofourown.org/users/napfreak/pseuds/napfreak). 

As soon as Regina set foot in her vault, she knew something was off. She’d spent more than enough time in this crypt to realize when something was amiss, so the second she reached the bottom of the stairs alarm bells were already going off.

Someone had gotten past her wards and taken something out of her vault. 

A cold apprehension washed over her at the thought of some of the things she had kept from her enchanted forest life.

Not wanting to get ahead of herself she quickly cast a couple different inventory spells that only returned with one missing object, a book of dark magic, specifically focused on torture and creative pain infliction.

Before she was entirely sure what she was doing, she had already dialed Emma’s number. She didn't bother to return the Sheriff's greeting before launching into an explanation.

“Emma, we have a problem. A book is missing from my vault.”

There was a pause as Emma shuffled the phone around and left the couch, she and her boyfriend had been sitting on, 

“What kind of book?”

“Well I wouldn’t be calling if I was missing a book on conjuring butterflies.”

Emma frowned, the amount of venom behind that quip wasn’t usually directed at her. 

“How far from butterflies are we talking here?” she questioned, her throat getting dryer with every second Regina stayed silent. 

Regina paused, shifting on her feet and placing her empty hand on her stomach, she hated when her past came back to haunt her. She was aware she should have expected as much, keeping dark magic books around. However, it wasn’t like just anyone had access to her vault. 

Until today, she had believed her wards to be nearly air tight, considering Emma’s magic as well as her own was intertwined around the building to keep all untheorized visitors out.

“Well...Torture far?” Regina questioned, feeling stupid for baiting the hook they were now caught on.

Emma let out a loud sigh and Regina closed her eyes.

“I know, and I had wards up to prevent this from happening…so it must have been someone really powerful.”

“Do you think there’s another big bad lurking around?” Emma questioned.

“Possibly. And trust me, the stuff in that book is not pretty. The last thing we need is someone proficient in torture.”

Emma nodded despite the fact that no one could see her. “Ok, I’ll call my parents and meet you at the vault.”

And with that, the conversation ended.

* * *

It was another hour or so before all three of the Charming’s made their way into her vault and they began working through their next move.

“Well obviously we don’t want to draw attention to ourselves.” Emma stated with her hands in her back pockets, entirely engrossed in her role as sheriff.

“If we keep this between us then whoever took the book will think that they’ve gone unnoticed —they’ll think they have more time, right?”

She posed the question as if it was open-ended but glanced at Regina for affirmation, not really concerned with her parents input on the subject. Regina nodded.

“Probably, although we don’t know how long whoever took the book has been working on this plan.”

“Well, can’t you just do a locator spell and find the book and whoever has it?” Snow asked, her apprehension apparent. 

Regina shrugged, indifferent. “I can but we have no idea who we’re up against, I don’t want to charge right in to a trap.”

Emma nodded “I agree, that sounds like something they’d want us to do.” 

“Well we can’t just do nothing.” David chimed in placing his hands on the table they were all standing around. “It’ll just giving them extra time to study the book.”

A bout of silence followed, before David continued. 

“Maybe we could hit the streets? Try not to draw too much attention but start asking some questions, get a list of suspects together.”

“Like who?” Regina asked already sure where they were headed but she wanted him to say it anyway. They’re relationship had come a long way, but he was still quick to blame all those who had once been labeled villains in the old world. Even when Storybrooke very rarely fell victim to any kind of threat from its own residents. 

Regina raised an eyebrow, challenging the princes. Her arms crossed in defiance.

David sighed, sensing the corner he’d drew himself into “Like Gold, Zelena, Maleficent –” 

Regina scoffed darkly “Trust me- none one of those people need an introduction to torture book, they’ve already mastered it.”

David shrugged “Maybe Lily then?”

“Hey.” Emma cut in, “Let’s not start accusing people of crimes they didn’t commit. Lily is good but she’s not better than Regina, she couldn’t get past those wards.”

Regina’s shoulders dropped a millimeter and David leaned back a bit, the tension leaving them.

“Plus, Lily is a good person she’s trying really hard to start over her with her mom.” Emma added, not really for anyone’s benefit she just wanted everyone to know. 

David sighed, his posture deflating, “You’re right. I shouldn’t have gone there so quickly.”

Emma smiled at him, she loved her parents a lot but sometimes they could be extremely quick to judge. Especially when it came to old world labels and who had been what back then. To Emma, none of that mattered, what mattered was now. Regina had created this town to escape everything that had happened in the other, and as far as Emma was concerned, she was going to make sure that was true for everyone here.

Before Henry had brought her home, she had been an angry lonely woman. A thief with a record, and a bounty hunter with no discernable future. She’d left that in Boston when she moved, and she didn’t understand why Storybrooke couldn’t be that for everyone.

Snow shook her head, “So, we’re looking for someone powerful enough to get passed Regina’s wards, but not well versed enough in magic to already know how to hurt people?”

Emma sighed, wishing this could all go away. She had been looking forward to a lazy weekend. 

“Regina, what kind of stuff was in that book exactly?” 

Regina gave her a chagrin look, no doubt ashamed at having to admit that, while reformed, she still held on to several dark objects from her past life.

“Among other things…the enchantment required to rip out a heart.” Regina shrugged failing to look nonchalant. David groaned hanging his head, Snow sighed, and Emma’s face went pink. 

“I’ll do an extra patrol tonight, maybe do a sweep of the woods.” David assured, his head still down. Obviously not looking forward to his hunt for a new villainous character lurking in the town.

Emma nodded, her mind trying hard to stay a step ahead, “Maybe we can get Granny to help? Sniff out a bad guy? If he’s hiding, maybe we could at least get a general location.” 

Snow touched David’s arm soothingly, rubbing absently at his back, “I’ll talk to the birds, see if they have noticed anything and tell them to keep a stiff watch.”

Regina rolled her eyes at that but gave a stiff nod at Emma’s questioning stare. Emma often looked to her for some form of affirmation, Regina had long given up trying to figure out why the woman needed constant approval. Deciding it was easier to just give it as needed, at this point she’d grown rather fond of having the final say over everything. For as much as Emma had protested the Sherriff being in her pocket when she had campaigned for the position, she had certainly crawled her way in there over the last few years. It was with a much gentler hand, than she had ever had with anyone, but it was still there. Emma asking for it every so often, neither of them ever speaking of it.

“Until we know what’s going on, I think it’d be safest is I sealed the vault. It would seem my wards are apparently useless though, so I think it would be best If we do it together.” Regina said with finality, Emma falling in line without a word. 

Emma agreed with curt nod, her parents nodding as they all moved to leave the vault.

Emma and Regina lagged behind to seal it with their combined magic before they headed into to town to make their own plan about Henry’s safety.

* * *

After a few days of turning up with nothing, everyone was wearing thin. The apprehension floating in the air was suffocating, and despite Emma’s best efforts to keep things quiet, the whole town had seemed to find out overnight. Snow swore she had only told the birds but with Emma and Regina both staring at her in disbelief, she broke pretty quickly saying she had also told Leroy. Both the Sheriff and the Mayor rolled their eyes aggressively. 

So, for the past two days, the entire town had been walking on egg shells. The streets had all but emptied and people were acting as if, at any given moment, someone might pop out and begin a mass torture in the middle of Main Street. 

“Look, I just don’t get what’s got everyone so scared.” Zelena grouched as she followed her sister up the stairs to Emma’s little blue house. “So someone is reading up on basic torture spells, I thought we welcomed learning in this realm.” 

Regina rolled her eyes, using the key Emma had given her to let herself in. “You're just upset Rapunzel canceled your hair appointment.”

“Look— maintaining this thick gorgeous mane takes work alright, and I don’t suddenly not need a deep condition just because this town’s afraid of a little imminent danger.”

Regina shook her head but otherwise stayed quiet as she entered the house and set her purse and keys down on the kitchen table.

Zelena sighed. “Why are we here again?”

“Henry left his math homework and his teacher said if he got it to her before the end of the day, she wouldn’t count it as late.”

“And why can’t your little wife do this? I was told we were going to get lunch.”

“We will, after I get Henry his homework — Emma is out looking for the elusive torture wizard.”

Zelena huffed, “Well, don’t expect me not to go through her stuff while I wait.”

Regina didn’t respond, already halfway up the stairs to her son’s bedroom.

Zelena didn’t wait for her sister to even disappear from view before she started opening various canisters and drawers that caught her eye. 

“Your baby mama is really boring,” Zelena called up the stairs, “Five more minutes and I’m going through her bedroom.” 

Regina decided not to dignify that with a response, and Zelena rolled her eyes deciding not to wait five more minutes before wandering upstairs and into the bedroom Emma and the pirate shared. 

Fairly quickly Zelena made her way through drawers of clothes, not finding anything that interested her. She smiled briefly at the picture on the dresser of her sister and her nephew beaming at the camera before deciding to rummage through Hooks night stand.

The only thing in the entire drawer was a box of condoms. Zelena scrunched up her nose, deciding to move around the bed to Emma’s side. However, before she reached the night stand, she stepped on a loose floor board, pausing to look down, she notice the nails for that specific board were missing. 

“Well, well, well, maybe you aren’t so boring after all.” Zelena murmured shoving the chest at the foot of the bed out of her way so she could easily lift the loose board.

“I swear to god if you aren’t keeping something good in here-" She paused, staring into the hole in the floor with a bemused look.

“Zelena,” She heard her sister call, “I found it. We can go now.” 

Zelena didn’t respond at first, her thoughts elsewhere but eventually she replied, “Hey Regina? That missing tome of yours…. What’s it look like exactly?”

Regina appeared in the doorway, a few sheets of notebook paper covered in messy algebra clutched in one hand “Why?” 

Zelena removed the book she’d found in the floor and held it up so the brunette could see.

“Does it look like this, maybe?”


	2. Chapter 2

Regina felt her entire body go hot with rage, hands clenching at her sides as she looked at the tome currently being held by her sister.

Of course it would be Hook. Whoever this new threat was had probably enlisted his help without offering more than an ambiguous promise and a few batted eyelashes. At least she could now rule out any form of warlock, as Hook wouldn’t offer his service without the off chance of bedding his newfound benefactor. She knew that much from experience. 

Regina winced thinking about the things she had once offered Hook in exchange for his help. Her thoughts turned to Emma, who was convinced that people could change for the better if someone believed in them. This would crush her. 

Regina felt her magic ripple across her skin at the mere thought of Emma having her trust broken by the callous pirate and whoever his new benefactor turned out to be.

Without a word, Regina turned on her heels and walked out of the house with more anger and purpose than she had felt coarse through her in a very long time. 

“Regina?” She heard her sister shout after her, somewhat incredulous. She didn’t respond, didn’t even turn around until she found herself on the sidewalk outside that house. “Regina, wait!” Zelena demanded following quickly behind her, only for Regina to stop abruptly.

The Mayor turned to face her older sister shoving Henry’s math homework into her hands and snatching the tomb. “Take this to Henry, I have to go see Emma.”

Zelena made several protests but Regina barely heard any of them as she made her way to the sheriff’s station at the center of town. 

Emma jumped at the sound of the station’s double doors bursting open as Regina stormed in, eyes dark and burning.

“Regina.” She greeted, failing to sound calm. “What can I do for you?”

Regina threw the tome down on the desk callously. “I’m sorry to inform you your pirate is a thief.”

Emma felt her whole body go cold as the tome thunked onto her desk, the world around her fading out entirely.

“You-” voice cracking, she swallowed and started again “You found it.” Emma stated meekly eyes fixed on the tome.

Regina sighed rolling her eyes, “Actually, Zelena found it but that’s not the point.”

“What’s the point?” Emma heard herself reply but she could feel her mind shutting off in panic, a cold sweat breaking out all over her body.

“The point is, the pirate can’t do magic. So, if he stole the book than he’s working for whoever our newest threat is.”

Emma sighed, there so many things she meant to say at that exact moment. However, Regina was now pacing in that way she did when she was anxious and filled with too much energy. 

“I already called your parents, and your father is going to apprehend him now. Once he’s here we can question him and maybe get a since of what kind of sorcerous we are dealing with.”

“Wait you’re going to arrest him?” She could hear the shrill tone in her own voice. 

Apparently, Regina could too because she stopped pacing to look Emma over with concern. Emma felt her cheeks heat up under the Mayor’s gaze, she knew it was impossible but occasionally she felt like Regina could see everything when she looked that closely.

“I know this is hard. It’s why I didn’t ask you to arrest him yourself.” Regina offered in a soothing tone mostly reserved for Henry. “We also don’t have a lot of time, we need to gather as much information as we can so we can be prepared.”

Emma opened her mouth, prepared to say so many things when her parents burst through the door. Hook was wriggling between them, obviously distressed and yelling maniacal proclamations of his innocents. 

Emma froze, her whole body locked into one position as she stood behind Regina and watched dumbly as her boyfriend was hauled in for questioning. 

Hook’s eyes locked on hers and she felt her skin prickle with pure panic. 

“Emma!” He yelled, jolting in her father’s arms “Emma! I didn’t do this! You have to believe me love!” 

Regina stepped slightly in front of her protectively, obstructing their view of each other. Charming pulling him toward the holding cell gruffly as Hook continued to plead to Emma frantically.

Charming closed the cell door with a sigh before ushering everyone into Emma’s office and shutting the door.

“If this is too much for you, I can handle the questioning.” He offered, eying his daughters state cautiously.

Snow rubbed Emma’s arm lovingly. “You can go home and wait if you want.”

Emma shook her head. “No. I-” but that’s all she got out before her parents were talking over her.

“Either way I don’t think she should be in the room with him while we question him – maybe you and her stay on the other side of the glass?” Charming suggested.

Emma shook her head, somewhat disbelieving that this was actually happening as her mother nodded squeezing her arm.

“I think that’s best. That way she can hear everything he has to say without him trying to appeal to her love for him.”

Emma felt herself jolt back up to speed, she had never said anything about love. They were dating, sure. Living together but she hadn’t ever told him she loved him, she certainly hadn’t told her mom she loved him.

David nodded solemnly “That’s probably for the best. Regina you want to help me question him?”

Emma watched Regina’s eyes flash with unadulterated fury, the blonde’s stomach doing somersaults 

“Gladly.” Regina ground out, voice dropping an octave as she watched Hook through the office window. David nodded to her before giving a meaningful glance to Snow and kissing the top of Emma’s head and opening the door for Regina to storm through.

Emma sighed, body deflating and suddenly feeling very heavy. She placed her hands on her desk bending over slightly as she closed her eyes and tried to figure out what she was going to do next.

“We don’t have to go listen if you don’t want to.” Snow said softly 

Emma jolted, having forgotten she was even there for a moment. She didn’t answer, she didn’t know how so she just stayed still, hands splayed on her desk. She needed to get away, needed to get some air and gather her thoughts but she couldn’t bring herself to move.

Apparently, she stayed like that for some time because Regina came back in a huff followed by David.

“He hasn’t said a word. He swears he didn’t steal it.” David explained as Regina started to pace again.

“Right.” She scoffed. “Honestly, I don’t know what this woman offered him, but it must be big if he refuses to turn on her even after he’s been captured.”

Snow placed an arm around Emma before questioning, “How do you know it’s a woman?”

Regina rolled her eyes. “It’s Hook.”

Snow glanced at her daughter still hunched over the table before asking, “Well, did you…” followed by a hand motion mimicry of Regina throwing a fire ball.

Regina nodded. “Yes, I threatened him. I was scary.”

David leaned against the desk beside Emma. “She was,” he piped in.

Regina acknowledged his comment with a slight nod in his direction before continuing “He swears he knows nothing.” 

Snow sighed. “Well have you thought about--” she paused, unsure of how to put this nicely, “You know...” She shifted awkwardly before miming what she apparently thought Regina ripping a heart out looked like.

Emma sucked in a sharp breath abruptly standing bolt upright. “I need some air.”


	3. Chapter 3

Emma seemed to distance herself from the investigation after that, and the Charming’s couldn’t blame her.

“It must be hard for her,” Snow had noted in a placating tone. “She thought he was her true love, I can’t imagine what she must feel knowing he’s been seeing someone else.”

Regina rolled her eyes “He is not seeing someone else, he’s just found a newer shinier object then the savior to chase after. Like he always does.”

There was a moment. Then Regina thought about what Emma must be doing, locked up in her house. Having to deal with who Hook had turned out to be. All by herself while the idiots failed to locate the cause of all this damage. While she made snarky comments and struggled with bouts of rage over Hooks carelessness.

“Snow, maybe you should talk to him.” Charming suggested.

Regina snorted.

“Maybe he’ll respond better to you than he did to me or Regina.” The Prince ran his fingers through his hair. “We were a bit….”

“Merciless.” Regina finished and Charming held up a hand, “Protective.”

Snow glanced over her husband’s shoulder to watch Hook sitting in the holding cell.

“You think I’ll be less protective of our daughter? David, she’s hurt, and he hurt her.”

“Of course not, but your much better at…”

“Running your mouth.” Regina cut in.

David rolled his eyes, “Getting people to open up to you. People trust you.”

Regina scoffed, “An ill-advised choice but…” she trailed of waving her fingers absently.

Snow sighed watching the pirate for a long moment before finally agreeing to talk to him while David and Regina took a walk.

Once out of the station David sighed, the tension in his shoulders releasing a bit. As he started walking toward main street.  
Regina fell in step beside him “do you really think he’ll talk to her?”

David shrugged “Dunno, but it’s something we haven’t tried.” He paused.

The town was quiet. The calm before the storm as everyone prepared for the hurricane that was sure to bottom out at any moment.

“I also just wanted to talk to you.” David hedged; his boots shuffling against the pavement in step with Regina’s quick strides.

The queen quirked an eyebrow and David made a nervous noise in his throat. “Have you seen or heard from her at all?”

Regina sighed, she hadn’t. Though Emma hadn’t once faltered in her responsibilities with their son since Hook had been apprehended. She had not set foot in the mansion or talked to Regina once since.

“No.” She admitted a bit tiredly. “I can tell she wants space and Henry says she hasn’t seemed all that upset to him. But…” she felt the words I’m worried get lost among a myriad of other thoughts about Emma.

David nodded “Me too.” He agreed though the queen hadn’t finished her thought.

“Maybe you should…” he trailed off. Then, “You seem to understand each other.”

Regina inclined her head but didn’t say anything until they were standing outside Granny’s Dinner.

David threw a thumb over his shoulder “You want a donut?”

She scoffed and David smiled a stupid grin, looking so much like his daughter in that moment Regina’s heart twisted. She missed her. “Thanks, but I try not to eat like a five-year-old.”

David shrugged “Suit yourself, but just for the record I could eat a five-year-old under the table. Especially in donuts.”

Regina shook her head smiling in spite of herself, already walking west toward Mifflin street.

“Between you and your daughter I’m going to have to implement a police fitness test. I would hate to have a police force that couldn’t chase an actual criminal.”

David chuckled and she heard the bell to Granny’s chime.

Once he was gone the mayor’s thoughts turned to solely Emma.

Almost on auto pilot Regina placed her things in the entry way and headed to the kitchen. Pulling on an apron and going to the pantry in search of ingredients.

* * *

It was common knowledge that Emma was passionate about eating. However, if Emma was truly as wrecked by all this as Regina believed her to be, a stale donut from Granny’s wasn’t going to cut it.

She sighed, sprinkling flower on the marble counter of the kitchen island. She didn’t remember developing this soft spot for Emma but at that exact moment she realized she would do a lot more than kill for her. Apparently baking was also on the table.

It was nearly three when Regina found herself standing at Emma’s door step, a dish of freshly baked cinnamon apple cobbler in hand as she waited for Emma to come to the door.

It took what felt like hours but eventually Emma turned up. Her face red from what Regina could only assume was the residual effects of crying.

“Regina?” She questioned, then her eyes fell to the dish

Regina smiled. She’d never met anyone as weak for sugar as Emma and she doubted thatshe ever would.

“Look, I know you’d rather stay in your tower and avoid me at all cost but If you want the cobbler, you’ll let me inside.”

Emma stepped aside, “You know, most people just say ‘Hello, may I come in?’”

Regina shrugged, looking disinterested in the idea as she made her way to Emma’s kitchen.

Emma sighed closing the door. Regina smiled to herself watching out of the corner of her eye as Emma trudged into the kitchen and took a seat at the table, watching her. More predictable than a sunrise.

The Queen smiled to herself, plating a piece of cobbler and sliding it toward the savior.

Emma sighed, obviously aggravated but dug in all the same.

“Regina, I get that you’re on some kind of mission but I’m fine. Really.”

The mayor shrugged but said nothing, feigning disinterest. She had learned that was the easiest way to get Emma to talk. For whatever reason the longer Regina remained silent like this the more the blonde seemed obligated to ramble.

Emma sighed and went back to her cobbler. Silently.

Regina regarded her for a long while, waiting for Emma to start blathering on, but it became increasingly obvious Emma wasn’t going to speak on this subject.

That wasn’t good. In Regina’s experience it was when Emma stopped talking that she had something very important to say.

“We’re going to get to the bottom of this you know?”

Emma sighed putting down her fork, “Yeah I know, and I’d rather not talk about it.”

Regina nodded but couldn’t stay silent for long when Emma still refused to speak. Her nails drummed on the table.

Emma kept eating but looked at Regina wearily “Do you have ice cream?” she said around a mouth full of cobbler.

Regina rolled her eyes but made a carton of vanilla bean appear on the table all the same. “Snow is talking to him now, but when kisses and sunbeams don’t do the trick, I promise I will light that sorry son of a bitch on fire.”

Emma’s fork made a clamoring sound as she dropped it abruptly whipping her suddenly sweaty hands on her jeans. “Regina…don’t.”

The mayor sighed “I know you had a soft spot for that idiot, but he tricked you, stole from me, and has put our son and this town in danger. If he continues to aid this faceless threat, then I have no choice but to do what it takes to keep us all safe. Even if that means using magic to slowly rip the stupid diamond earring threw his cartilage and–”

“-It was me.”

Regina stopped abruptly, blinking a few times “What?”

Emma sighed “Hook didn’t take the tome. It was me.”

Regina scoffed, angry and baffled “You can’t be that stupid. Why on earth would you cover for him when our son is in danger?”

Emma sighed, exasperated. “Regina, I’m not. It was me. I took the book. That’s why your wards weren’t broken. You designed them so Henry and I could slip past, in case of an emergency. I took the book. I didn’t think you would notice, and I was going to put it right back I swear.” A pause then in a low voice, “Hook had nothing to do with any of this I was just….”

Regina watched Emma with her mouth slightly agape. Unsure what she should do about this situation.

“And then once you all noticed, I was just going to wait till it all died down and slip it back on the shelf. We could all shrug and chock it up to a weird magical mishap and nobody would need to know. Especially my parents.”


	4. Chapter 4

Emma’s eyes snapped opened, her entire body was covered in a thin layer of sweat and her hand was down the front of her pants.

Her ears were still ringing from having just orgasmed hard in her sleep. She could still feel the Queen’s harsh touch wrapped around her neck. Her eyes hard and filled with an angry fire that made Emma’s whole body buzz with electricity like a live wire.

She groaned, this couldn’t just keep happening. There had to be a foreseeable end to this torment.

It wasn’t always the Queen, sometimes it was an earlier incarnation of the mayor. All power suits and mind games. Still sometimes it was just them, Regina and herself writhing together with mingled breath and soft words that made her weak. However, since her brief back to the future moment in the Enchanted Forest she hadn’t been able to shake an undeniable fascination with the Evil Queen.

Since she’d laid eyes on her she’d never wanted to look away. Even at her worst Emma had been bewitched by Regina’s entire being, and the more she learned about her, the harder she fell. Her crush was unrequited, of course, but she couldn’t deny its existence. This unwelcome captivation had pulled to the surface a very specific fixation she had been trying to ignore since Neverland. Now, these dreams were getting more vivid and kinky each time she had one.

She’d come away from Neverland, and later the Enchanted Forest, with a kink she’d rather she didn’t. It was something she’d only recently started to address in her mind as ‘the heart thing’.

Emma screwed her eyes shut she could still feel the faint imaginary feeling of the Queen’s hand in her chest. Her brown eyes boring into Emma’s, as she rather cruelly wrapped her fingers around Emma’s beating heart. Her hand twitched, still down the front of her boy shorts, as her body revved up at the mere thought.

Killian made a noise in his sleep, shifting onto his side, and Emma’s hand shot out of her underwear. God, the last thing she needed was him to wake up thinking she wanted it.

A week ago, he’d caught her furiously masturbating after one of her dreams, and nearly scared her to death when he’d crawled on top of her.

Emma rubbed her face, glancing at the clock on her bedside table. It was still dark outside, but not nearly late enough to justify trying to go back to sleep.

From experience, Emma knew it would be hours before her body calmed enough to go back to sleep, and it was Saturday. Regina would be expecting her in the vault in a few hours anyway for their weekly magic lessons.

Emma rolled out of bed and threw on the first running outfit she could find in the still shadowy room. She’d also learned that the best way to deal with the feelings of pent-up sexual frustration, shame and embarrassment, brought on by a particularly thrilling heart ripping related dream, was to work out till she felt like Jell-O.

It wasn’t as if she had ever been a particularly vanilla. She had plenty of fantasies, however, Regina taking her beating heart out of her chest wasn’t exactly comparable to anything else. There wasn’t a single source on whether this was normal or not, but judging by Storybrooke’s general view on the subject, it wasn’t. 

She felt a bit like a creep, even though she couldn’t control her dreams. Running till her legs wouldn’t go and doing pull ups till her arms shook had a two-fold purpose. Paying penance and making her brain too tired to think about her desire anymore.

It was working pretty well, and she was staring to regain some of the muscle she’d lost by eating nothing but bear claws, grilled cheeses, and three helpings of whatever Regina had given her leftovers of most recently.

After her run she dragged herself into a cold shower. Killian was already gone, probably already at the station as it was her day off. She dressed quickly and got ready to head to the vault for a day of mind-numbing magic lessons with the woman she had been trying not to think about all day.

* * *

Regina waved her hand, poofing the candle between herself and Emma from one side of the table to the other.

“It’s a simple incantation. One you should have mastered by now.”

Emma sighed, her hands threading through her hair in annoyance. She hated using magic. It made her skin all prickly, and more than once it had brought back bad memories. Memories of group homes, and kids with cruel intentions that had been repressed until magic dredged them back up.

“Yes, please, tell me again how much of a failure I am.”

Regina eyed her warily. At this point she was used to Emma’s outbursts, unlike herself, the Savior wasn’t much for tutelage.

Emma deflated a moment later “I’m sorry. I just don’t understand why we have to do this every Saturday. There’s never been a bad guy we couldn’t beat. Who cares if I can poof a candle or not?”

Regina smirked “Yes, and we’re lucky that we haven’t. Everything we’ve faced up till now could be shot down with brute force when the mood strikes you.”

“Exactly!” Emma interjected “So, let’s just pack all this up and go get a milkshake.”

“But what if one day it doesn’t?”

Emma paused mid-stride with an irritated groan, eyeing Regina cagily. She was tired, and ready to get out of the vault and see the sunshine. They’d been at his for hours; weeks if you counted all the other Saturdays they’d spent cooped up in the vault.

Regina crossed her arms over her chest in a way that made her look smaller and less capable of murder than normal. Emma narrowed her eyes, she realized she was being played. She knew the doe eyed look on Regina’s face was feigned but Emma was weak for it anyway.

“Fine” she groaned “one more hour of this – but when I still can’t move the dumb tea light after that, we’re done.”

Regina smiled softly but didn’t say anything. Emma felt her heart melt for those brown eyes, as she tried her best to focus on the candle for the rest of their lesson.

* * *

It was four weeks later when she was awoken by another incredibly filthy dream about the Queen, her hand already down her pants.

Emma let out an aggravated growl. She was still teetering on the precipice of an orgasm but couldn’t bring herself to consciously think about any of this for her own sick gratification.

She felt like an asshole for taking something Regina felt so guilty for and making it into an object of desire.

Emma glanced at the clock; it was not even three in the morning yet but there was no way she was going to fall back asleep.

Almost on autopilot she threw on a sports bra and a pair of tight running leggings and slipped out of the house.

Killian was still snoring peaceful, blissfully ignorant of this entire problem, as Emma slid on her shoes and started running at a vigorous pace. The street lights above giving everything an orange glow.

As she ran, her mind wandered, to her dream before roughly being shoved down by her subconscious. She wondered if there was some way to get rid of these dreams for good, before they ended up getting her in trouble.

It was bad enough she nearly melted in Regina’s presence every time the former Queen looked at her. The last thing she needed was a kink specifically related to the woman’s mere existence.

She caught herself more than a few times gazing lasciviously into the mirror above her dresser while she rubbed one out to her latest dream. Eventually, she caught herself absent mindedly thinking about Regina’s ability to gaze through mirrors and worked herself into a desperate orgasming mess. That had also been the last time she’d let herself indulge in one of her dreams instead of running till she was too tired to do anything but be still.

It was also in that week that Henry and her parents had held a movie night in her living room complete with popcorn and various candies. They had strung up a sheet and gotten a projector to play the movie on. Since Storybrooke didn’t have a theater, Emma had decided to show the kid what he’d been missing. Regina had tagged along at Emma and their son’s insistence because,

‘It’s the most human experience there is, you can’t come to my realm and never go to the movies!’

Regina had initially resisted, but at Henry’s insistence had quickly caved.

It had been there in her back yard as Henry had chosen Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. A jovial smile on his face, and a mischievous glimmer in his eye as he said reasoned ‘It seemed right for our first family movie night.’

Emma scoffed and Regina had roller her eyes playfully at their son. The night had started out so perfect; Emma surrounded by family like she’d always wanted, her dad pretending like he wasn’t going to share his Reese’s Pieces with her, her mom absently playing with her hair -which she’d recently decided she liked. Henry was nestled in between Regina and herself, a giant bowl of popcorn in his lap. Emma had felt her heart soaring in her chest, surrounded by family she never thought she would have.

Then the garish cartoon of the Queen had looked formidably back at them from the sheet they’d strung up. Her voice harsh, and merciless as she demanded ‘Bring me her heart.’

Emma tensed, her stomach flipping as every fantasy she’d ever had about The Evil Queen rising from the abyss of her mind and ramping her arousal from a zero to a ten.

Emma blinked, finding herself coming to a halt in her run, her legs not yet gelatinous enough to head back home. It was after that embarrassing movie night sitting next to her son and his other mother filled with far too much desire for the setting and a kid’s movie for her comfort that she had decided to literally run from her fantasies. She’d always had a crush on Regina but having a whole-body flush over a kid’s movie was too much.

Emma stretched her arms, her breath coming out in rapid pants. The sun had since risen, and the sky was casting a pinkish glow through the canopy of trees. She let out a huff of breath that turned into a cloud of mist in the cold morning air, her hands going to the back of her head as she tried to catch her breath.

Emma was vaguely aware her run had taken into the cemetery. A route she sometimes took in order to cut through the forest without having to dodge large roots. Regina’s family crest loomed above her, the crypt looking inviting and tempting as her lungs spasmed from the harsh cold air.

She knew Regina kept food and water in the vault in case of emergency and as cold as it was this late in the fall, she could use a bit of warmth before she headed home. Regina had also created the vault barrier so that she and Henry could both get through.

In case of emergency.

However, the bottom line was that their presence was welcome. Emma stepped into the vault quietly, her breathing evening out as her heart rate settled. There was water stored somewhere in the front room she knew. Tucked away on a shelf or a chest near the stairs.

The large stone bookcases drew her eye, Regina’s fancy leather bound tomes shining in the vaults flickering candle light. She had never touched any of them. When there was a problem that required a book Regina would cover the large oak table with books like a manic librarian. However, Emma had never once tried herself to crack open a book. A part of her was drawn to them. Much in the way magic whispered seductively across the skin when it wanted to be let loose.

Emma didn’t think twice as her fingers skimmed over the spines of the books. A few she recognized from battles they’d fought and beasts they’d slain. Others she realized she’d never seen move from their spot on the shelves.

In particular a red leather volume caught her attention; as it had before, a few times, during her magic lessons. It’s vibrant red leather cover far more vivid than the other books in Regina’s extensive collections. It was one of those books that she’d never seen move. It stayed on the farthest shelf, at the very top on the very left corner, it’s cover wedged between the stone of the bookcase and a fat elven dictionary as thick as Emma’s shoulders.

She had long since realized, based on the books never changing position after they’d been strewn about, that Regina had her books organized by some system she kept in her giant nerd brain. It was erratic from what Emma could tell but Regina seemed to believe it made absolute sense. Still, the red book gave her pause. There was every chance it was some other translational book that they’d had yet to need but something about it and the way it tugged at her magic told her it couldn’t be the case.

Her curiosity moving her toward the rolling ladder stored at the end of the bookcases near the stares. She pushed it slowly toward the far left before climbing up and retrieving the red leather-bound book.

With the slim tomb cradled between her arm and body as she slowly descended the ladder. Her eyes trained on the intricate cold embellishments on the front.

Emma ran her fingers across its raised bits, the dark gems imbedded in the cover gleaming like Regina’s eyes when they fought. Something about it made her blood pressure spike and her magic raise its head, like a beast spotting an easy meal.

She didn’t know a lot about the old world, but she knew enough about Regina and spent enough time in the vault to realize the only book that had covers like that were practioner’s guides. Emma had been sent home with her fair share of Regina’s magic guides to know a magical how to when she saw one. Still, there was something different about this little book. Most magic guides she’d seen where at least as thick as the thickest Harry Potter. This was barley and inch thick.

Emma thumbed through the pages, noticing Regina’s swooping writing throughout the margins. She smiled, many of Regina’s magic books had little questions in the margins, her little comments where often times Emma’s favorite part of the homework Regina gave her. It was cute and sometimes silly, occasionally a bit indecipherable and senseless. Nevertheless, they never failed to make her smile. Especially considering Regina’s little notes were often written in am old-world tongue Regina called begrudgingly referred to as common-tongue. Emma just called it fancy English, but it was easier to read than the half eleven nightmare that was most practioner’s guides and spell books.

In the front page, in a hand writing Emma didn’t recognized was a large sweeping dedication.

My Affections, wholly and steadfast,  
-M

Emma shook her head unsure what the hell that meant. Before looking more slowly through the casting enchantments. Unlike most books, this seemed to be a conglomerate of a lot of things. Not just a guide, not just enchantments and spells, but all of the above. Almost like a reader’s digest to something.

Emma’s magic old world language skills were shaky at best, which might as well have made this book a volume of scribbles. It wasn’t until she saw Regina’s swoopy scrawl across the top of one very worn page that she realized what she was looking at.

Across the top was the incantation translated, it was erratic and less polished than her formal writing, but Emma could easily pick out a few words.

Heart

Control

Severance

She quickly flipped past it, her heart beat picking up a thrumming. The next few pages had similar scribbles in the margins. After a while it became clear that this was basically a reader’s digest on dark magic torture. It was split into several categories, the way a cookbook might separate desserts from its savory dinner recipes.

The foot notes were gruesome and made Emma want to crawl inside of herself.

Suddenly her phone buzzed. An incoming message from Hook. She was usually back and in the shower before he even woke up. She winced, the last thing she wanted was to explain her erratic early morning running, or where she’d been on this specific morning.

With a sigh she prepared herself for her run back home, but her hand lingered on the book. Her eyes grazing over the dark crystals in the front of its red cover. A part of her realized she should put it back, but the longer she looked at it the more impossible that seemed to be.

Regina had long since decided to exclude dark magic from Emma’s lessons, instead focusing on innate ability and intent based skill. She had never felt an inclination to wield dark magic, knowing the effects that kind magic held. Her understanding was shaky, but she knew negative emotions were required and Regina had confided that her most powerful magic was fueled by a dark set of memories she’d rather not speak out loud.

Emma had absolutely no desire to relive past trauma and Regina agreed that they should never open that door. Opening old wounds did nothing for trying to heal.

However, she had insatiable curiosity and lecherous pull toward dark incantation. It wasn’t at all a surprise to Emma when that little book founds it way into the pocket of her running clothes.

She had no intent of keeping it, but she wanted to know more than anyone was willing to provide. Even Regina skimmed over a lot, and she wanted to know what exactly it was she’d been dreaming about for months.

With any luck, it would be so bad that she’d lose all interest and be able to stop thinking about dark magic as a fun foreplay activity.

* * *

It was later that day, while she sat on her couch with Killian, his hook hand draped over her shoulder as he watched some documentary about ocean life that she received a call from Regina.

She smiled, picking up on the first ring with a light-hearted greeting. In all honesty, the book she’d borrowed was not even on a top ten list of things she was thinking about in that moment.

Then Regina had replied with a vaguely unnerved “Emma, we have a problem. A book is missing from my vault.”

The sheriff felt her stomach drop as her mind flashed to the little red book sitting on her dresser. She shifted out of Hooks embrace she quickly made her way upstairs to her bedroom.

It was a stupid question but part of her was hoping it wasn’t the book she was currently staring at, “What kind of book?”

The rest of the conversation went by in a blur as Emma realized how this would look. However, images of her telling Regina the truth are what had her shoving aside Killian large trunk and stashing the book under the floor before joining Regina and her parents in the vault.

This would all blow over soon.


	5. Chapter 5

“You’re absolutely sure about all this?” Emma questioned for what seemed like the millionth time.  
Regina sighed her hands slipping off the Benz’s steering wheel. “Sometimes I don’t think you know who you’re talking to.”

Emma fidgeted in her seat awkwardly, twisting her fingers in her lap as she waited for the door of the sheriff’s station to open.

“It’s not that I don’t believe you can do this--it’s just that- “

Regina twisted in her seat ready to pick a fight with Emma over the blonde’s disbelief in her street cred when the door opened. Regina perked up, watching as the Charming’s walked arm in arm across the street, completely oblivious to their daughter and ex-nemesis sitting in a parked car a few feet away.

Emma felt her body go cold, joints locking in panic; but Regina was already getting out of the car with an annoyed “Come on!” at Emma over her shoulder.

* * *

Once inside, Emma held back just outside the double doors to the station. Regina growled doubling back, “Miss Swan, I don’t know if you noticed but were kind of on a tight schedule right now.”

Emma peered around Regina to look at Hook in the cells. She watched him stare at his feet, totally defeated after nearly two weeks in a holding cell. Emma’s stomach dropped and she felt her skin prickle with hot shame. She hadn’t meant to leave him to the wolves like this.

Regina snapped her fingers aggressively in front of Emma’s face “Hey. I’m still mad at you for lying to me, if you want my help getting your boyfriend out of this mess, I suggest you speed this up before I change my mind.”

Emma sighed, pushing past the mayor. She had no right to be irritated with Regina. After all, If Regina hadn’t offered her help, she’d be stuck explaining to her parents that she’d stolen a book on dark magic and torture, and how she subsequently began a wild goose chase as a result.

Then there was the dark magic part. She could imagine the look on their faces. How pale and meek her mother would look, as she stood next to the Evil Queen and proclaimed to Snow White and Prince Charming that her interest in dark magic and tomes on torture were nothing to worry about.

“Let’s get this over with.” Emma breathed pushing into the office gruffly, Regina at her heels.

Hook stood up upon her arrival, going to the bars of his cell with desperation pouring out of him.

“Swan.” He all but pleaded reaching his hand between the bars toward Emma “You have to believe me, I know nothing of the Queen’s missing tomb. Whatever they’ve told you I swear on my life love I- “

Emma steeped into his touch lacing their fingers together as she got close to the bars “I know.” The blonde replied. Her voice sweet, and soothing. Killian let out a breath and smiled at her with hearts in his eyes.

Regina cleared her throat, crossing her arms as she tried to justify the amount of animosity she suddenly felt swelling up in her chest. “Can we get this over with?”

Hook shot her a look, ready to pick a fight when the door to the cell clicked and swung opened. Emma walked in, Regina’s skeleton keys dangling from her fingers.

One side of the pirate’s mouth curled up in a devilish smirk regarding the savior as a partner in crime. Completely oblivious to Regina filling into the small cell after her.

“Love.” Hook uttered softly, his eyes starry as he looked at her, his hand going up to run the back a finger softly across her cheek. Emma gave an awkward smile before her eyes twisted shut and her gut filled with a hot heavy feeling of guilt that punched the air from her lungs.

“Oh god Regina I can’t do this anymore just do it already.” She let out in a rush. Hook barely had time to contemplate that sentence before the familiar sharp pain of a hand pushing into his chest registered. He doubled over, clutching at his chest as Emma spun to stare rigidly at the corner opposite him.

Emma spun to face the wall, wishing she could shrivel up and die as she screwed her eyes shut. Hook let out a pained grown, his knees cracking as he hit the cement floor of the cell. A squelching noise echoed loudly in the dead silent station and Emma felt her cheeks heat up as every organ in her body did a summer sault and fell into her feet. Her hands rapped around herself tightly as she continued to try to stop existing in this moment. Regina cleared her throat, making Emma nearly jump out of her skin.

“You can turn around now princess, the deed is done.”

Emma turned to find Regina looking unimpressed, a red beating heart resting in the palm of her hand, Hook a crumpled mess at her feet. Emma felt her face heat up and her heart jumping into her throat, constricting and making it suddenly harder to breath.

Regina leveled Emma with a mocking look. “Squeamish savior?” she jeered playfully, shifting Hooks beating heart offhandedly between her palms.

“One would think that tomb you stole would have better prepared you for something as mild as this?”

Emma rolled her eyes, but her cheeks were blazing and she felt unsteady on her feet. Which only served to widen Regina’s sardonic grin. Emma ducked her head using her hair to hide her face as she squatted next to Hook, wrapping his arm around the back of her neck.

Regina watched her struggle for few moments, as the savior tried to leverage Hook’s dead weight onto the holding cell bench. A chuckled escaping her throat before she could stop it.

Emma growled, obviously frustrated, “Are you planning to help me or- “

Regina rolled her eyes but held the heart up to her lips “Get up.” She commanded and hook did.

Emma scrambling backward till her back hit the cells bars, her heart in her throat again.

Regina scoffed “Honestly, did you learn anything from that book?”

Emma gave her a frustrated look as she stumbled to her feet “How come he’s all…” Emma trailed off waving a hand in front of Hooks unseeing eyes.

Regina shrugged “Because I will it.” She said as if that were mundane. As if she could will the heavens and earth to do her bidding without moving a muscle. It was hot.

Emma tried to lean casually against the bars like that was not both scary and appealing, but she missed and stumbled out of the cell entirely.

Regina let out an amused breath at the awkward savior before rounding on Hook standing blankly in the middle of the opened cell.

“Sit.” Regina said, simply inclining her head toward the bench, and he did. Regina placed the heart in her purse carefully before exiting the cell as casually as someone might exit a kitchen with a snack.

Emma watched her, enraptured. Regina cleared her throat again to get her attention, nodding her head toward the opened cell door.

“Oh.” Emma choked out in a hoarse whisper, rushing inelegantly forward to close and relock the cell door.

No sooner had the lock clicked into place than Hook’s eyes cleared, and he looked around as if awaking from a nap.

“Love?” He questioned, eyes filled with confusion finding Emma. Emma shrank back, guiltier in that moment than she’s ever felt in her life.

Regina sighed stepping up to the bars of the cell like this was all very normal. Hooks eyes snapped to hers, every cell in his body seemed to focus on the mayor in that moment. A soldier at attention and Regina smiled, obviously pleased with this reaction. Emma felt a twinge of jealously pinch at the back her mind, but she quickly buried in the deepest darkest corner she could find.

“We were never here.” Regina told Hook “You haven’t seen Emma in weeks. The last thing you remember is being here alone after Snow and David left. Any gaps in your memory do not bother you- you must have dozed off.”

Hook didn’t even blink, taking in this information like a dry sponge soaking up water.

There was a pause then Regina picked up again, voice low and commanding in a way that made Emma’s stomach flip.

“When Snow and David return you will offer them a truce, confess to stealing the tome on the behalf of a voluptuous young sorceress.”

Emma rolled her eyes. “Does he have to cheat on me too? Can’t he just have sticky fingers?”

Regina sighed. “What would he need with a tome on dark magic? He doesn’t have magic.”

“Dunno, maybe he just thinks its kinky.” Emma shrugged, cold sweat prinking at her skin even as she tried to pull off nonchalance.

Regina scoffed but otherwise ignored Emma as the Queen went back to her task, “You stole the tome from my vault on the behalf of a voluptuous…”

Emma grumbled, annoyed.

Regina smirked to herself “…young, sensuous, enthralling...” She listed off, her voice filled with false conviction.

“Okay!” Emma cut in, annoyed. Regina only smiled wider to herself not turning to face the blonde at all as she finished with,

“…and entirely erotic budding sorceress that you just couldn’t control yourself. You were so beside yourself with the need for her body.” Regina finished dramatically turning to give Emma a teasing smirk

“You’re hilarious.” Emma deadpanned, rolling her eyes. “You done with your stand-up routine or...”

Regina shrugged “I guess so. It’s not as fun when I start to make myself feel nauseous as well.”

“Great.” Emma groaned grabbing the skeleton keys off the desk and walking toward the exit. “Can we go now?”

Regina sighed and gave a board wave of her hand enveloping them both in a cloud of purple smoke.

Emma sucked in a breath, Regina’s magic wrap around her and caressed parts of her she didn’t know existed setting her on fire from the inside out. Regina’s magic was heavy and decadent in a way her own magic wasn’t, and she felt her knees go weak at the feel of it washing over her, a shiver running up her spine.

Then all too quickly it cleared and brisk cold air was slapping her in the face and breaking the spell shed been under. Emma blinked taking in the shadowy glow of Regina’s vault.

Confused Emma looked around, finding Regina standing somberly in front of the wall to wall book shelves.

Emma leaned her arm on the top of a high back velvet chair failing to look casual as Regina regarded her for a moment before waving her hand at the mirror on the far wall.

Emma’s eyes followed the move watching as the station came into view through the mirror.

“Now we can make sure everything goes smoothly.”

Emma nodded walking toward the round mirror with its little twisty black bits around the edges. She was just thinking about how they reminded her of chili peppers when she felt Regina’s hand gently fall on the side of her upper arm.

“Emma.” She said softly. Too softly.

Emma regarded her, confused at the mayor’s tonal shift from a few minutes ago to now.

A moment passed where Regina seemed to war with herself before stepping closer. “I understand the curiosity you feel.”

Emma’s heart flipped getting lost in the emotion in Regina’s eyes at that moment

“It’s tempting.” Regina continued. “And wholly too enticing, but I want you to know we can talk about this if you want to.”


	6. Chapter 6

Emma’s body went hot, her heart pounding frantically in her chest as Regina inched closer to her. Regina’s hand slid down the savior’s arm and encircled her wrist lightly.

“I know how absolutely mesmerizing this desire can be. How tantalizing and alluring dark magic…” She trailed off with a sigh; eyes closing, somewhat flustered. Her free hand coming up to lightly cover Emma’s heart.

Emma felt the heat that had previously flushed her cheeks and chest suddenly rush straight to her groin. Her body arching into those fingers against her chest with so much need she thought she might cry.

Regina understood.

“But dark magic isn’t a toy, and it’s not to be trifled with.”

Emma blinked, she knew that tone. That was the tone Regina used on their son when he was being given a serious talk. Was Regina lecturing her?

“However, I want you to be honest with me about the feelings you have. When I started to feel a pull toward dark magic, I kept that locked away until it was beyond too late.”

Emma opened her mouth to deny it, she wasn’t interested in learning any magic. Magic as it turns out was a lot like chemistry class mixed with seeing a psychiatrist that only wanted to enhance your intrusive thoughts.

Regina must have sensed Emma’s impeding denial because she swiftly cut it off with a wave of her hand.

“You don’t have to hide it, I just want you to know you’re stronger than I was, and you have me for when you aren’t feeling strong.”

Emma felt herself melt just a little, watching the soft venerability that pooled in Regina’s eyes. Emma felt so much warmth in that moment she forgot for a minuet what they were actually talking about.

Then something in the mirror flashed and caught Regina’s attention.  
“They’re back.” Regina said retrieving Hook’s glowing heart from her purse. “Ready to throw your boyfriend under the bus?”

Emma sighed. “That’s not what I’m doing, they’ll let him go.”

Regina shrugged. “Sure, but our next family dinner is going to be tense.”

Emma didn’t respond. To be honest, Regina’s joke got lost in the rest of the horrible tangled mess she’d made for herself.

Killian jolted from the bench like a puppet whose strings had just been yanked. Regina made a noise that might have been amusement walking closer to the mirror with a mumbled “Showtime.”

The next few minutes happened in a blur as Killian confessed to a crime he didn’t commit and professed his lust for a woman that didn’t exist.

Then David was asking him more complicated questions that he couldn’t possibly know the answer to because Regina hadn’t thought to tell him, but he answered them as if she had.

Emma caught a glimpse of Regina out of the corner of her eye, watching and listening to the mirror with a measured intensity. Hook’s heart in her palm as she worked double time to answer Charming quickly using words that sounded wrong coming from her mouth.

Charming blew out a breath glancing back to Mary Margret, who looked just as incredulous at Hook’s sudden change in tune. Although Regina had made it clear the young mystery sorcerous had left him and abandoned her plan once she realized they were on to her.

Charming raked a hand through his hair walking out of the mirror’s view, Mary Margret following close behind. Emma watched Hook for a moment, his eyes a bit vacant even from here. A hot rock of guilt hit the pit of her stomach hard, her breath leaving her as if someone had knocked the air out of her.

The mirror went foggy, clearing seconds later with a clear view of the Sherriff’s Office. Different mirror, Emma concluded, as she watched her parents file into her office.

“What now?” Snow questioned.

David shook his head, “I don’t know. It’s been two weeks. I was starting to hope he might actually be innocent.”

Snow sighed “Me too. For Emma’s sake.”

David blew out a breath, a tired look in his eyes as he pulled out his phone.

Emma craned her neck as if moving would give her a better view. “What’s he doing?”

“I don’t know.” Regina replied just as her phone started vibrating in her purse.

Regina smirked pulling her phone out and answering David’s call with a nonchalant.

“Hello?” A playful gleam in her eye as she wedged the phone between her ear and shoulder, using her free hand to wipe the images from the mirror, Hook’s heart still in her other hand.

“Did he?” Regina’s eyes widened in artificial shock.

Emma rolled her eyes.

“Well I say we kill him.” Emma glared, and Regina smirked back. Eyes filled with a playful glittering that was downright scary. “He put this whole town in danger, everyone could have died- his life for theirs seems fair to me.”

Emma smacked a hand down on the table eyeing Regina with a stern look usually reserved for their son. Regina just turned her back to her placing the phone back between her ear and shoulder as she absentmindedly shifting Hook’s heart between her palms as if it were a baseball or some trinket.

Emma’s stomach flipped and a very irrational part of her wanted to beg Regina to play with her life like that. To let her watch as the former queen playfully tossed her literal beating heart from hand to hand like it was nothing. The sheriffs face heated up again, and she shifted awkwardly on her feet. A sudden wetness making a very inconvenient appearance.

Regina glanced over her shoulder at Emma, obviously still playing some kind of game. She frowned seeing the look on Emma’s face and promptly stopped playing with Hooks heart.

“Look just let me deal with him.” A pause, and then, “I won’t. I’ll find something worse.”

Regina smiled again then looking up at Emma with a much more sheepish look, but still playful. “Yeah maybe I’ll take away his eyeliner.”

Emma scoffed shaking her head even as her smile widened without her permission and Regina beamed. That smile made Emma’s heart flutter, it was so pure and genuine. She could feel herself swooning, but Regina was already reorganizing her things.

Placing Hook’s heart and her phone back into her purse. “I’m going to go finish this up and then hopefully you’ll be in the clear and Hook will be no more a thief than he already was.”

Emma nodded, her hands going into her back pocket, limbs suddenly feeling awkward.

Regina observed her out of the corner of her eyes. “Can I trust you in here alone?”

Emma made an annoyed sound, but Regina wasn’t having it. “I’m serious Emma. I cleaned this up for you this time but next time- “

“it won’t happen again Regina I swear.”

Regina eyed her warily but nodded swiftly. “Good. I hope that’s the case.”

And with that, she disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke.

* * *

“I don’t see why you’re helping the pirate any way.” Zelena commented, placing Robin in her basinet.

“He got caught helping some sorcerous destroy us all. Shouldn’t you be going after Emma now that he’s out of the way?”

Regina rolled her eyes, shifting under David’s gaze. She had been at the station for nearly an hour trying to untangle Emma’s mess without giving the other woman away. The last thing either of them needed was a teary eyes Snow begging for answers as to where she went wrong.

In all honesty Regina had never worried about Emma becoming seduced by dark magic. Maybe she should have been more careful, however, Emma had never shown interest in learning anything more complex than she had to. Emma approached magic like a child approached a chore, a necessary evil for the greater good.

The prospect worried her, magic was made of emotion. Dark magic especially, was run by reliving some of the most grewsome of memories. Something Emma refused to even consider from day one.

“I didn’t call for your opinion on my love life, I called to ask you to drop buy and check on my son.”

“You never ask for my opinion.” Zelena replied. “But you’re an idiot and you need it. Let the pirate rot, put on a tight dress, and take the savior to dinner.”

Regina let out a long-suffering sigh before turning to David and Snow, who were anxiously waiting for her to take charge of this situation.

“You’re thinking about it.” Zelena assessed smugly. Regina could practically hear the sound of her sister’s devious smirk.

“I’m not.”

A long exaggerated groan, then “god you’re a martyr! You love her, you want her, and you’re willing to let this opportunity go to waste to help her boyfriend.”

Regina winced, it nearly been two years and yet it still felt gross to hear Hook referred to as Emma’s boyfriend.  
She had held back, believing Emma too be too good for someone like herself. Someone with a body count several miles long and more atrocities committed then even she could count, and then he, with his own body count and list of atrocities had gone after Emma relentlessly. To top it all off that had somehow worked, he had never even apologized or been forced to repent for the things he’d done.

If this had actually been his crime, she would have been glad to see him go. However, it was Emma she was protecting in all this. So the pirate had to be freed, to be washed clean of yet another crime.

Neither one of them deserved the chance Emma had given them so freely.

“I’m not” She repeated more firmly. She was.


	7. Chapter 7

Emma let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. Her whole body slumping like the thing that had been holding her up had suddenly melted.

She rubbed her face in frustration. Hook might not think much of it, he might even commend her for her sly planning. Her parents would be none the wiser, but Regina wasn’t going to let this go.

She never should have taken that book. Now she had a boyfriend doing time for something he didn’t do, the pity of her parents for dating a man who didn’t love her enough to not cheat on her, and Regina; who thought she was wanted to do dark magic like it was heroin.

Emma’s head began to throb. She had never been a particularly good thief, but this took the cake. When she’d slipped that book into her bag, the last thing she’d wanted was for anyone to find out. If she’d wanted everyone to know she would have just walked right up to Regina and asked her, like the vault was a god damn library.

She needed to end things with Hook. There probably shouldn’t have been a thing to begin with, but he’d had a dark past and a knife hand, she wanted to feel pressed against her throat. She’d figured it would be an interesting night and then turned around to see her parents looking at her with so much pride.

She’d never had anyone look at her like that, and Killian became a meal ticket to being close with her mother. Even when that meant bending over backward to be the savior he had believed her to be. Even when his touches were too soft, his caresses always too tender, and he couldn’t begin to understand what she needed.

He regarded her like a china doll; pretty and nice to have around but far too delicate. Snow seemed to agree and together they built her a glass case that made her feel a bit like she was suffocating.

Hook was not a bad person. She couldn’t blame him for having expectations, words like savior came with heavy implications; and she’d made a few allusions of her own. She’d never corrected him or tried to be honest, and here they were four years later. On completely different pages of two very different books.

Emma began to wander about the vault aimlessly. Staring into jars filled with newt eyes was much more appealing than thinking about her failure of a relationship. Her impending breakup or anything else going on in her life. She tried her best to stay clear of the bookshelf but with time she found herself wondering out of the study entirely.

She hadn’t really left the areas Regina had already shown her before. She usually stayed where Regina was or where Regina had led her. Regina had also never really left her in the vault before. On her own, Emma began to poke through things. She didn’t dare open any of the trunks piled around, that felt far too invasive. However, anything left out on a shelf she touched. Finally finding her way into a dark room she’s never been before.

It had candles that never seemed to get lower or burn out, just like the other room but it felt different. The air heavier somehow, and Emma looked about feeling more awake than she had a moment ago. On the far left there was an alcove emanating a reddish glow. Emma realized suddenly there was a drum like humming in the air, she’d heard it in the study but never thought much of it.

Emma stood transfixed, caught between wanting to move closer and back away. The three walls continued to pulse a pinkish soft glow about the room. Emma swallowed suddenly gathering that throughout every magic lesson and talk she’d ever had with Regina in the vault there had always been this thrumming. A constant she’d never questioned, but she now understood why they never left the front room. Emma could feel her stomach flipping, and her heart fluttering with a mix of indistinct emotions.

Her mind racing with images involving her being shoved up against this wall. Regina’s magic wrapped tightly around her throat, stealing the air from her lungs till she was seeing spots. Her entire body thrumming and pulsing with need; for air, for release, for Regina.

Emma reached out to the box nearest her, tracing the wood lightly with a finger.

* * *

“I take it you found ways to occupy your time in my absence.”

Emma nearly jumped out of her skin. That wasn’t a question. Not even close. Regina’s voice was hard, pointed in a way that made Emma’s guts lurch in a mix of fear and need. She turned slowly, her eyes focused on the crypt’s mosaic floor. She meant to comment on how long she’d been left bored with nothing to do but couldn’t find her voice. Her heart beating rapidly, begging to leave her body as her cheeks flush with embarrassment.

“Look at me, Miss Swan.”

Emma’s eyes snapped up without her permission, she could feel how hot her face was and a part of her wanted just disappear.

Regina arched an eyebrow, somehow managing to look both unimpressed and livid at the same time.

“You told me I could trust you in here by yourself.”

Emma rolled her eyes, indignant at being accused of something she didn’t do. Dark magic was the last thing she wanted to have at her disposal.

“You can! I wasn’t- “

“Enough.” Regina commanded with a wave of her hand.

Emma opened and closed her mouth, trying to speak over Regina but she couldn’t. Her voice was gone, Regina had taken it. She glared at her; annoyed, until the former queen stepped closer. Closing the gap between them in a way she hadn’t since before the curse broke.

Regina’s eyes were shiny with ire, her magic dancing in the air and Emma swallowed audibly, eyes wide.

“You want to play?” Regina asked, her tone chilling in its mock levity. “Then let’s play, Miss Swan.”

Emma felt her throat go dry. There was a very large part of her that wanted her voice back just to yell ‘god yes!’ before falling to her knees at Regina’s feet.

Suddenly Emma felt Regina’s magic wrap around her. Its energy pricking at her skin before soothing the ache with the caress of liquid silk. Regina had never felt this way. All anger, but with an underlying care that made Emma weak at the knees.

If she had still possessed her own voice she would have moaned loudly. As it was, her eyes had already fluttered shut; her mouth slightly agape, as Regina gripped her arm tightly.

Then Regina’s magic was gone, Emma stumbled backwards as she was forced to hold herself up. Regina’s magic having tossed her down with a flippant annoyance Emma didn’t know magic was capable of. Her eyes opened to find Regina a few paces in front of her, facing the vaults exterior. Regina’s purple essence rolling over it like electricity on fire stripping away Emma’s presence.

“Did you just- “Emma paused, startled by the realization that her voice had been returned at some point. Regina’s magic crackled around the building tugging at the light blue tendrils Emma recognized as her own magic signature.

“Are you locking me out of the vault?” Emma winced at the shrill quality of her own incredulous panic.

“That’s exactly what I’m doing.” Regina answered in a level tone, not bothering to turn around.

Emma winced. She could feel Regina’s magic ripping at hers like a wax strip being slowly peeled off her skin. Even more persistent was the feeling of her heart twisting up in anxiety and self-loathing.

“I’m sorry Emma, but I don’t think you having free reign of my vault is a very good idea.” She sighed “If you’re as attracted to dark magic as you seem to be, I think it best I don’t tempt you.”

Regina paused, her eyes searching Emma’s face for any signs of animosity or fight, but Emma didn’t have it. She just felt stupid for creating this problem. Regina was so worried about her, didn’t trust her, and that felt like a hot coal eating through her guts.

“I didn’t – I don’t want...” she trailed off, frustrated and panicked. Emma’s hands threaded through her hair on either side of her temples, her thoughts coming and going too quickly to make sense of them. “I don’t want dark magic, I just want you!”

Then is stopped. Everything settled around them and stood still. Regina was standing in front of her, leaning down to look at her and Emma suddenly realized she was on her knees in the soft wet dirt of the cemetery.

Regina put two fingers under Emma’s chin pulling her face up to look the former queen in the eyes. Eyes that had softened substantially in the last few minutes. Regina made a soft sound somewhere between a tsk and a coo, running her thumb over Emma’s cheek.

“Want me how, Miss Swan?”

It was then Emma realized with some embarrassment that she was crying. She tried to pull back, to hide it or save face in some way but Regina’s fingers under her chin didn’t allow it. Regina was regarding her contemplatively, like a she was meeting her for the first time. Emma’s cheeks were hot, she hadn’t meant to say that, her stomach was doing incessant summersaults and he wished; not for the first time, she’d had the good since not to take that damn book.

If she’d just kept her weird desires to herself, the whole town wouldn’t be looking over their shoulder waiting to be attacked.

“I-“ Emma paused, throat hot with tears. She had no idea what to say or how to say it, especially with Regina looking into her soul like she was.

Regina leaned back against a headstone, her fingers still under Emma’s chin as she raised an eyebrow expectantly, waiting for an answer.

Emma hated herself with every fiber of her being, and a part of her was ready to burst into tears again. She searched for something more coherent but none of it encompassed everything she felt, she wanted Regina to be her wife but also maybe magic choke her till she passed out. There was no right answer, and none of that explained the book she’s stolen.

“Romantically, sexually.” She paused before adding, not without a bout of self-hate. “Viciously.” Event to Emma it sounded like she was saying random words. Her throat was full of unshed tears and she was sure Regina was going to leave her in the graveyard.

Instead, she let Regina help her to her feet and walk her back to her home in silence. Regina’s hand firmly clasped around her own, thumb rubbing over the back of Emma’s hand soothingly.

They stood on the porch, the crisp early autumn air wiping around them and making the trees hiss as the leaves brushed together. Emma fiddled with her keys lost in a sea of emotions, Regina in front of her watching her carefully.

“I promise I’ll keep all of this between us.” Regina placated, obviously feeling out of place next to Emma. Both women lost in thought.

Emma nodded in acknowledgement but didn’t trust herself to speak. She was not completely sure that if she opened her mouth the first words out of it weren’t going to be another confession. Her skin still felt sensitive from the pricks of Regina’s brusque magic man-handling, and it made her feel more naked than anything ever had.

A long moment passed before Regina finally spoke again, her hand touching Emma’s arm over the sleeve of her red leather jacket. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

It was unsure, and soft in a way Regina didn’t normally address people and Emma stopped playing with her keys for a moment.

Regina continued letting her hand fall back to her side “We can go for pancakes with Henry at Granny’s.”

Regina smiled tentatively and Emma smiled back.

“A sugary breakfast on a school day? Carful Madam Mayor, the town might think you’re going soft.”

Regina scoffed, her hands going into her jacket pockets. “Do you want pancakes or not?”

Emma beamed, her heart fluttering in her chest in spite of herself. “Yes please!”  
A since of relief rushed over them as the tension that had hung so heavy in the air moments ago cleared like dust in a breeze.

“I’ll see you at 7 Miss Swan.” Regina tossed playfully over her shoulder, eyes sparkling with happiness in a way that made Emma’s heart lurch. She could be so terrifying in one minute and then the sweetest cutest thing in the next.

Regina waved a hand, disappearing in a cloud of soft lilac smoke leaving Emma to swoon in the dark on her porch. She leaned heavily against the front door feeling Regina’s presence dissipate with the purple smoke, a stupid grin pulling at her lips.

* * *

Then the door was opening, and she was stumbling backwards into the house. Killian trying his best to catch her, but she caught herself first.

“Killian, you’re here.”

She had no idea why she was surprised, she’d been working to get him free all day. This was his home; where else would he go.

He nodded wrapping her in a hug that felt like a cold shower. “Aye love. It’s honestly all a blur, and your father is convinced I was cavorting with a sorceress but believe me Emma I- “

The world paused for a minute as she considered her options. This would be by far the worst thing she’d ever done -but maybe it was easier this way. After all, it wasn’t Hook’s fault she wasn’t interested in him, and until right now she hadn’t had the heart to end it.

She shoved him away roughly, trying hard to look mad when what she felt was guilty. For all of this, for making Regina worry, for sacrificing Hook in the first place. For the words about to come out of her mouth.

“Believe you? I don’t have to do anything. You confessed Killian. Not only to working with a villain we still haven’t located…”

Because Regina made her up.

“…but to doing it for sex.”

Hook sighed, looking desperate as he reached for her, but she was quicker. Emma side stepped him with a roll of her eyes.

“Love, you have to believe me. Your father told me what I said but I don’t remember a word of it. I don’t know what vile witch would do this, but I’m being framed.”

This was horrible, she could feel anxiety building in her stomach like acid eating at her guts. What vile witch indeed.

“I’m not in the mood for your excuses. I’m heart broken,” Lie. “That you would violate my trust like this. I thought we had something!” Lie, Lie.

“We do!” Killian argued frantically, “I may be a lot of things, Swan, but I’m not unfaithful.”

Remorse settled heavily in her stomach, in the past week she had lied to everyone is this town. Especially, her family. She was supposed to be the Savior; some kind of allegorical white knight, and in some twisted turn of events she’d become the villainess terrorizing the town and the people she was sworn to protect.

Hook moved toward her frantically, his hand going out to touch her; convince her.

Panic ran across the back of her neck and down spine. After everything that had happened today, she just wanted to end this. She stepped back, feeling her magic rise up in a fight or flight response to her overwhelmed state.

“Killian, just leave!” She heard herself shout, as she whirled away from his attempts to hold onto her. She screwed her eyes shut, wrapping an arm around her middle to quell the magic that was feeding off her anxieties.

Then everything was quiet. She let out a breath, feeling her magic subdue like waves receding from a shoreline. Her shoulders dropping a bit as she felt finally at peace since telling Regina she’d stolen the book.

She realized something was wrong. She hadn’t heard Killian’s heavy booted steps leaving the house. Hadn’t heard him speak since she yelled. If it was anyone else, she would believe they were just standing quietly, but Killian was never one to respect the distance she put between them.

Her arm fell from around herself as she turned, only to find Killian was gone. A light blue mist dissipating and settling where he had been a few moments ago.

Her eyes screwed shut, her guts twisting.

Fantastic. As soon as she told Regina about this, the mayor would be putting her in Dark Magic Users Anonymous. She’d never poofed anything bigger than a tea light, and that had only been from one side of the vault to the other.

Regina was very cautious about Emma using measured emotion and measured power in her lessons. Like working out and building a muscle. It was like if pushups were baking cookies, but instead of butter using your past trauma to hold it all together.

The only other time she’d felt her magic grip hold of her and push out like that was when Regina had dropped her off a cliff.

She groaned, rubbing her fingers in her temples. This couldn’t get any more complicated.


	8. Chapter 8

The next morning Emma found herself in Granny’s, wearing one of her nicer shirts and sitting in the corner booth near the door.

The booth they always sat in together.

For so long Granny’s had been their neutral ground. Where they would hand off Henry every other week.

However, at some point they’d stopped handing him off in the parking lot and began going inside. The two of them would order coffee and Henry’s hot cocoa, until one day when it was least expected, they’d become a family.

“Hey Ma.” Henry chirped settling in beside her in their booth. It was a round C shaped booth meant to seat at least six people that they’d initially claimed it for the purpose of not having Henry pick a side. Neutral ground meant no fighting, and no fighting meant sharing the kid. Even at a time when neither of them had ever wanted to do that.

“Hey Kid. Ready to eat this place out of pancakes?” Henry dropped his bookbag next to him as he scooted in.

Regina scoffed sliding in on the other side of Emma. Not Henry and his backpack. Emma straightened, suddenly feeling like she wasn’t clean enough or well dressed enough. Which was ridiculous. This early in the morning Granny’s was filled with people doing coffee runs in their PJ’s.

“Please, like either of you could eat more than four of Eugenia’s pancakes. They’re huge.”

Emma quirked an eyebrow, smiling mischievously at Regina as she addressed their son, “Henry I don’t know about you, but I think I just heard a challenge.”

Regina rolled her eyes but didn’t spur the blonde on as Henry piped in.

“On any other day I’d take you up on that Ma, but I have environmental science first period; and I have to give a speech, and the last thing I need is to ralph a dozen pancakes.”

“A wise decision.” Regina agreed with a smile, her hand going out to fix Henry’s hair.

The boy shrugged, not bothering to look up from the menu. “I’m a prince, I’m a bit more refined.”

Emma scoffed at their son’s haughty tone, but It was so utterly Regina she found herself smiling in spite of herself. “You can’t say ‘ralph pancakes’ and then call yourself refined.”

Regina beamed, watching them squabble throughout their meal. It had been a while since they’d done this. Even longer since it’d been just the three of them and she’d forgotten how nice it was to not have to fight the pirate for Emma’s attention.

Regina hadn’t slept much last night, her mind playing Emma’s words from outside the vault over and over in her head. ‘I don’t want dark magic, I want you’ ‘Romantically, sexually.’ ‘Viciously.’

There had been several portions of last night spent on the verge of calling Emma and asking for clarification. She’d already asked for an explanation whilst in the graveyard, but Emma had offered nothing else. A small beacon of hope bloomed in her chest, despite her best efforts to snuff it out, that Emma might return the mayor’s own romantic inclinations. However, as many scenarios as she could come up with, both good and bad Regina struggled to explain the sheriff’s thievery.

Had Emma been trying to learn dark magic to impress her? Had it been more nefarious a motive than Regina was giving Emma credit for? A part of her thought she was reading too much into Emma’s words, or perhaps Emma had lied. Still, it seemed sincere – and with Regina ripping Emma’s magic from the vault she doubted Emma was capable of dreaming up anything beyond the pain. Intertwined magic was a bond, when severed it felt very much like a piece of you being ripped off. As she’d stripped away Emma’s bond to her own magic she’d been in every bit as much as pain as Emma. It wasn’t the kind of feeling that left room for any thoughts beyond how bad it felt.

Regina stayed in the booth with Emma long after Henry had thrown his heavy bag over one shoulder and made his way toward Storybrooke Academy a few blocks up.

It was quiet for a moment as they sat drinking their second cups of coffee together.

“I must say I was a bit nervous about this.” Regina said breaking their comfortable silence.

Emma gave her a perplexed look swallowing a large gulp of lukewarm coffee. “Why?”

Regina smiled a bit looking out the wide pane window to their right. “With everything that happened yesterday, I worried.”

“Regina, I swear all of this was a misunderstanding. I’m not interested in practicing dark magic.”

The former queen sighed, her fingers playing absently with her mug on the table in front of them. “Forgive me for being cautious when you promise me things like that.”

Her voice was soft and filled with apprehension, disarmingly so, and it made Emma feel somewhat naked under the Queen’s soft gaze.

Regina always looked perfect. She worked very hard to look impeccable and appear unbothered, like the kind of person who actually might have it all together. Even when she absolutely did not.

Emma blinked, looking at Regina and seeing the worry etched in those delicate features, and her heart twisted for the umpteenth time. This could have all been avoided if she could have just kept it in her pants.

Regina seemed to have noticed that her facade had dropped and quickly launched into a new subject.

“I also wasn’t sure If you’d be bringing Hook, and while you and I know he didn’t actually do anything I was unsure how we would explain your lack of self-respect to our son.”

Emma snorted. She wasn’t sure how to explain her lack of self-respect to herself.

Regina held up her hand. “And, while how you proceed with your relationship following the events of last week is completely up to you, I- “

Emma shook her head smiling at Regina as she began to ramble a bit. Regina liked to speak like she was on trial when she felt awkward. It was cute when you realized it, and terrifying when you didn’t.

“We broke up actually.” Emma interjected before Regina could start adding heretofore’s in her regular speaking patterns.

“Oh.” A long pause, then she started fussing with her clothes, feigning disinterest. “Well I suppose that’s for the best. You did conspire to rip out his heart and let him take the blame for your crimes.”

Emma scoffed. “I borrowed a book. You weren’t supposed to notice.”

Her conscience; however, took that exact moment to remind her she hadn’t actually broken up with him. As far as Emma knew he was wondering around in the woods outside the city of Storybrooke confused as hell.

“Actually…” She paused, remembering the concern in Regina’s eyes. “I don’t exactly know where Hook is.”

Regina blinked a few times, regarding the blonde inquiringly. Then she saw the guilty look on the other woman’s face. “Emma. If this has to do with magic…” She sighed, her fingers going to her head in exasperation.

“Hold on let me explain—"

Regina held up a hand “I don’t want an explanation.” Her tone exasperated as she picked up the glass sugar shaker and began idly pouring sugar onto the dinner table as if that were normal.

Emma looked around, feeling like Regina was commit a heinous crime and Granny was about to come around the corner with her cross bow.

“Regina—" She began, feeling apprehensive, but Regina was quick to hush her. The mayor’s focus solely on the mess she was making.

Emma’s sole focus was Granny eyeing them from the bar, Emma gave a feeble wave as the mayor set down the sugar shaker. Regina gave an annoyed sigh but didn’t look up from the mess she’d made; instead she put her fingers into the sugar and started moving it around.

Emma’s mouth opened and closed several times, but she refrained from commenting on Regina’s sudden lack of sanity. “What- what are you doing?”

Regina exhaled, dusting the sugar from her hands. “Divinations, dear.” She replied, “I would have thought with your sudden interest in magic books you would have read that in the ones I actually asked you to read.”

“Divinations.” Emma repeated, her mind completely blank.

Regina nodded. “For devising the location of something missing. No offense but I’d rather not waste my entire day trying to help your pirate.”

Emma rolled her eyes, her stomach flipping in embarrassment. Regina had spent the last week dealing with her mistakes. She was on the verge of apologizing when Regina’s voice cut through her thoughts.

“He’s down at the harbor, in his ship. I imagine he slept there last night.”

Emma gripped the edge of the table awkwardly, feeling like a child that had made a mess in the kitchen.

“Thank you.”

Regina nodded grabbing her things and getting up to leave. “I should be on my way.” She paused looking at Emma and then the sugar mess on the table giving a definitive order. One of her more favorable theory’s for Emma’s motives dancing through her head. ‘Viciously’ could mean a lot of things, but something inside of Regina felt the need to test the waters of this particular theory.

“Clean that up before you go.” It wasn’t a question.

Emma’s whole body went hot with a mix of emotions, but Regina was already at the counter paying for their meal. A familiar feeling twisted Emma’s lower abdomen, her cheeks burning. She was an absolute mess.


	9. Chapter 9

Emma made it all the way to work with a smile on her face. She’d finally ended her dead-end relationship with Killian and it felt good to be free. A part of her had held on because she wasn’t sure what being on the other side of that relationship would look like, but now that it was over, she felt lighter, like everything had gotten a bit easier. She figured she’d at least be a little sad, so she was surprised to feel happier than she had in a long while.

She’d also had a wonderful morning with Regina and their son. Their family time always proved to put her in a great mood, but it was aided by the fact that the worst of this stupid stolen book fiasco seemed to be behind them. As far as Emma was concerned there was nothing better than the freedom she felt at that moment.

“Hey, kiddo.” Her dad greeted. He was leaning against his desk with a cup of coffee in his hands. His eyes cheerful as he looked her over. “You look good. Have you talked to Killian?”

She waved a hand, unbothered. The last thing she wanted was to get tangled in another elaborate lie. This feeling of freedom felt too good to ruin it so quickly.

“I ended it. He left quietly.”

That wasn’t technically untrue, he’d left in a silent cloud of her magic.

David nodded curtly, obviously happy with her decision. “Good. Although, I figured you’d be in a worse mood after everything he did.”

Emma shrugged, unsure how to dance around that one. He hadn’t done a thing.  
“I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.”

David nodded his head and rubbed her shoulder. It was such a dad thing to do in that moment Emma felt her hear warm at the gesture.

“They can’t all be.” He commented squeezing her shoulder and Emma smiled covering his hand with hers before pulling away to go to her desk.

She’d been avoiding work for nearly a week and she was sure she’d have enough paperwork to last her the rest of the year.

“And Emma,” David called, “If you need me to run him through with a sword for your honor… you know where to find me.”

She snorted, her fingers going through the mountain of papers on her desk. “Thanks Dad.”

They didn’t say much else as they both got down to tackling the paperwork that had been neglected when a new threat had appeared. However, despite the heavy load of papers and stupid amount of police reports detailing different calls about seeing the evil enchantress, she was still smiling.

That is, until the moment her inbox pinged with an email from City Hall.

It was from Mayor Regina Mills, and marked important. The subject line read, “Action Required, Do Not Ignore”.

Emma cocked her head to the side squinting at the email. She got a lot of emails from Regina’s work, as technically, Regina was her boss. Still, none of them had ever required much of a response from her and usually only detailed changes to the system or budgets.

Her emails to Regina were much the same. Their work conversations always sounded much less familiar than was reality. More than once, they’d carried on a text conversation of completely different topics, like dinner plans or Henry’s needs, while simultaneously arguing about budgets in their work emails. Emma supposed it was a needed boundary when your boss was also your kid’s mom. However, this didn’t look like a budget email, and Emma couldn’t think of a singular reason for the mayor to be talking to her at that moment.

Emma clicked to open the message and was greeted by a wall of solid text.

Sheriff Swan,

It has been brought to my attention that you may have a recently open opportunity for a position that I would be interested in discussing further. I would like to request that we schedule a formal meeting at your earliest availability to further discuss and explore ideas that are of interest for both of us.

If you are interested in the prospects of such a discussion, please signal your availability and I shall make myself free. May I suggest the Mayoral office, sometime before 12:30? If that time frame does not suit you, I will be forced to pursue other candidates and I would suggest you do the same.

Bring lunch.

Sincerely,

Regina Mils  
Mayor of Storybrooke, Maine

She stared at the message for a long time. Reading, and re-reading the haughty cold tone Regina had addressed her with. Emma hadn’t known what to expect from her graveyard confession. in all honesty she had thought Regina was going to choose to ignore it; however, this email said otherwise.

Emma glanced at the analog clock mounted in the sheriff’s station and realized it was already noon. Regina had only afforded her thirty minutes to respond to her austerely worded proposition.

In the back of her mind Emma imagined herself deleting the email or ignoring it just to spite this infuriating woman. There was something about the way Regina had chosen to go about propositioning her that made her flustered…not that dealing with her feeling for Regina romantic or sexual had ever made her anything else.

Emma’s mouse hovered over the google calendar invite. Something about having a google invite to Regina’s office in order to discuss her sexual needs making her squirm. In all honesty, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to cry or masturbate about how Regina’s message was making her feel.

Then there was all the self-doubt hedging in on her, the what ifs that gave her pause. What if Regina didn’t understand what she had meant in the graveyard? The email was vague enough, perhaps Regina had misunderstood entirely.

Emma fidgeted anxiously with the hem of her shirt. If that were true, if Regina hadn’t understood her, then Emma going to her office to profess her undying love for Regina as well as her affinity for rough sex, would certainly make this meeting memorable. Regina would hate her and avoid her, and it would ruin the relationship they’d built entirely.

What if Regina did know what she’d meant and wanted to discuss Emma getting over it? She could already hear Regina’s voice, low and lethal in her mind as the former queen told her in no uncertain terms that she wasn’t interested.

Emma glanced over the email again, no, there was no way Regina didn’t understand. She always understood. They had been so in sync for so long, it was impossible for Regina to have not understood what Emma had meant.

* * *

Emma arrived outside the mayoral office with takeout from Regina’s favorite restaurant promptly at 12:30. Still, she was having trouble actually working up the courage to walk in there and face this. She would have been perfectly content to just wait for this entire experience to be forgotten over time.

As Emma lurked outside the large double doors that led to Regina’s office, there was no doubt in her mind that Regina knew she was there. She could feel her own magic signature starting to rise up on her skin, as nerves piled up making Emma’s stomach twist in apprehension. Usually when she had to go to Regina’s office, she knew what to expect; a budget meeting, a civil discussion of Henry’s upbringing, a fight to the death…but this…this was out of her depth.

With one last deep breath she opened the door and walked into Regina’s office, more hesitant than she had ever been in the other woman’s presence.

Regina was sat at her desk, her legs crossed and looking just as fresh and pristine as she had earlier that morning. The large window behind her made her skin look so soft in the mid afternoon sun. She was writing diligently on something or other that Emma couldn’t see, not bothering to glance up as the door to her office opened and shut. Ignoring her, purposefully. Emma was about to tell her to forget she’d ever said anything at all when Regina’s eyes caught hers. The former Queen smiled warmly, her entire face lighting up as she looked at the blonde and Emma was a puddle.

Regina motioned to the seat across from her and Emma sat like a trained dog, waiting patiently until looked up, setting her pen down slowly. “I’m glad you decided to meet with me.”


	10. Epilogue

This was not how Emma wanted to spend her long weekend. Traipsing through the forest in the night, so far from town she could barely see in front of her face anymore.

She’d worked hard to get David to cover her shifts for the next two days. Had promised to take his next four night shifts so that she and Regina could spend the weekend together. They had been planning to spend some time alone together since signing Henry’s field trip waiver two weeks ago, and after he left that morning on one of many school busses taking all the middle school children out of Storybrooke experience their very first aquarium, Regina and Emma were alone at last.

Henry had actually been begging Regina to sign the waiver for weeks, after Emma had signed it without a second thought. He’d even gotten Emma to talk to Regina on his behalf, but Regina had adamantly refused the idea of sending their son outside of Storybrooke. That was until a few weeks ago when Regina had suddenly decided it was a great idea to send their son off to the bay area.

Emma had found that odd, as Regina didn’t normally change her mind that erratically. However, her confusion only lasted until they were standing in the school parking lot, Henry’s bus about to round the corner out of view. When Regina had suddenly gotten extremely close, her lips brushing the hair over Emma’s ear as she whispered.

“Do you want to play Miss Swan?” In a voice that was entirely made of sex, and not appropriate for a middle school parking lot.

Emma’s eyes had nearly rolled back in her head at the idea alone. She and Regina had been dating for nearly three months and she had learned very quickly, the former Queen loved a good mind game. They had played a few over the course of their relationship, they were always sexual, they were always intense, and usually ended with both of them sweaty, thoroughly satisfied and Emma worshiping Regina just a little bit more than before.

Regina was a sweet and caring partner, more patient than Emma ever anticipated. She loved with everything she had, and it had made Emma feel full and wanted in a way she had never felt in her entire life. Emma worshiped her like a goddess, swooning in adoration every time she realized that somehow, she had gotten this woman to like her back.

Regina was also the most sadistic bitch on the planet and Emma loved every second of it. Over the past few months they had built a loving relationship. Emma was constantly at the mansion, there were family nights, and quiet dinner dates, and love making that lasted until the sun came up. In a surprising turn of events, Emma realized quickly that what she had always considered an impressive libido, could not hold a candle to Regina. The mayor, with her knee length skirts and sensible pants suits was quite possible the most sexual person Emma had ever met.  
Regina snorted, nuzzling into Emma’s neck. It was then that Emma realized she had all but moaned her resounding ‘yes’ to the mayor’s proposition.

* * *

Now here she was, answering a call about suspicious activity in the woods, nearly an hour before she was supposed to be off and speeding toward Mifflin street.

She was about to call Regina and let her know she might be late, when someone grabbed her from behind, twisting her arm up behind her back until it hurt. Emma was about to scream, when a piece of cloth was wedged into her mouth and secured behind her head. A second piece of cloth tugged over her eyes gruffly.  
The Sherriff yelped in pain, dropping her phone in panic as she was shoved roughly onto her knees in the damp forest dirt. Struggling uselessly in the stranger’s grasp. Her heart jumped up into her throat, a cold sweat breaking out on her skin, as cold metal encircled her wrists tightly.

Emma could hear the sound of footsteps in the soft earth approaching her from somewhere in front of her covered eyes. The sheriff jerked roughly in the stranger’s grasp, trying to pull a foot out from under herself, but the man only tightened his grip, pushing down to hold her on her knees. She tried to call upon her magic, but something was keeping it quelled within her.

The footsteps approaching her stopped directly in front of her, two leather clad fingers slipping under her chin and tilting her head up.

“You’re trespassing on land belonging to the throne.” Regina’s honeyed voice scolded, her breath brushing against Emma’s from how close she was.

Emma felt herself smile, the corners of her mouth rubbing against the rough material that had been shoved in her mouth. God, this woman.

There was a moment where she could tell, even bind folded that Regina was smiling back at her. Emma’s own excitement at Regina’s twisted games making Regina’s affection for the blond bloom in her chest.

Then it was gone, Regina’s hand grabbing her jaw with uncaringly cruel hands. “Is that funny to you girl? Trespassing in woods belonging to the Queen?”

Emma tried to shake her head, but Regina was holding her too tight.

“I should make an example of you” Regina husked near her ear, and Emma shivered at the cruel tone.

They had played several games like this, but this was beyond anything they’d dared to do with their son always nearby. Emma could hardly wait for the blindfold to come off.

Since they’d started dating Regina had often teased Emma about her affinity for the Queen. Culminating last week in Emma receiving a sext that had only been a picture of dresses and items Regina still had, locked away in her vault. Emma had barely managed not to combust at the sight of it all as she had hastily made her way to city hall. Where they’d had sex on the cold marble floor. 

Suddenly, Regina’s magic was shoving her onto her feet and against a tree meanly. A magic grip wrapping around her throat and squeezing at her pulse points until she was squirming.

“Leave you trussed up in this tree for the wolves to find.”

Emma whined as Regina’s magic, as dark as she’d ever felt it, lapped at her skin. Emma trying desperately to lean into the feel of it, but it was impossible. Regina let out a sharp, mocking laugh when her hips started to atilt forward, The Queens magic running over her inner thighs in the most enticing manner anything ever had.

Emma tilted her head to the side, she couldn’t see a thing, but she couldn’t face Regina right now either way. She was embarrassingly wet, the fabric of her jeans feeling painful against her sensitive skin. She was panting hard and she could feel drool beginning to leak past the fabric in her mouth, and down her chin. 

Then the magic shut her off retreated all at once, and Regina’s body was pressing into her. One of the Queen’s leg pressing into her center firmly. Emma whined against the gag in her mouth grinding down desperately on the Queen’s thigh, as Regina’s hand came up to trace lightly over her heart.

“Or…..” She trailed off, her voice playful in that sick sort of way that made Emma weak. When their relationship had begun, Emma had spilled her guts about everything, from her crush, to her fantasies, and Regina had done much of the same.

From there it hadn’t taken long before Regina had started running her fingers over Emma’s chest during their sexual encounters. She’d also taken to just placing her hand over Emma’s heart, both in public whenever she wanted, and in bed while she rode Emma’s fingers, a haughty smile playing at her lips at seeing what it did to Emma each time.

Emma didn’t mind, however, because as much as Regina tried to avoid it, a part of her got off on having that power, on having an outlet for the dark magic that was always simpering inside of her. Emma could see how every time she called the Queen by her title, with devotion, and lust, and so much trust it never failed to make her lose it.

This was the game.

Regina’s blunt nails dug into Emma’s chest until it hurt but there was no magic behind it, no intent to follow through. Emma arched into her hand anyway vibrating with need as she came against Regina’s leg. Regina must have been anticipating as much because, no sooner was Emma was about to fall over the edge when that hand shot up to her throat. Magic washing over them both as Regina transported them out of the woods.

Emma was shoved roughly to the stone ground, her bound hands failing to keep her balanced. The blindfold over her eyes, and cloth in her mouth falling away as if they hadn’t just been extremely secure. The sheriff blinked a few times, adjusting to the low light of the room around her before finding Regina watching her from an ornate throne on the far side of the room.

Her chin resting on the back of her fingers as she leaned on the arm of the throne. Legs clad in leather tighter than Emma had ever seen Regina where anything, the curve of her breast clearly visible due to the jewel encrusted low V dipping down toward her navel. Emma was salivating, until this exact moment she had never look at anyone and wanted to lick the expanse of their exposed skin.

“I suggest you start begging for your life, what were you doing sneaking around my property in the dark?”

Emma shuffled closer on her knees, hands still shackled behind her back. “My apologize your majesty, I meant no disrespect to you.”

Regina smirked, it was haughty and mocking, but it was clear that she was loving every second of this.

“I don’t take trespassing lightly, how do I know you weren’t looking to do harm to me?”

Emma shifted even closer, her knees now touching the platform on which the throne sat. She wasn’t really sure what her end goal was, but she wanted to be as close as Regina would let her get.

“Please, My Queen it was dark, I certainly didn’t mean any harm towards you.”

Regina uncrossed her legs, leaning down to get as close to Emma’s face as she could. “And how do I know you are being truthful? The only thing I see is a little rat found scurrying around my property in the dead of night.”  
Emma fell silent, searching for a response that would get her hands free so she could put the on Regina. Although she suspected there wasn’t one, and she’d been put in this position for exactly that reason.

Regina brought her hand out to caress Emma’s cheek softly.

“Such a pretty face for a rat.” She cooed, and Emma heard a desperate whimper escaper her throat, her whole-body arching in that touch of skin. She had never needed Regina more than she needed her right then.

“Please your majesty you have to believe me I –“

“Have to?” Regina cut in, the hand on her cheek turning into a vise grip over her jaw, her voice going cold.

“My dear I don’t have to do a thing. I could kill you with less effort that it takes me to blink. You are powerless, you are nothing. I don’t have to listen to a word that comes from your pathetic little mouth.”

Regina let go of her abruptly, using the heal of her boot to shove Emma backwards, her hands trapped under her body by the binds on her wrists.

Then Regina was up, moving quickly in clothes Emma had no idea how she could move in at all. The heel of that boot came down on to her throat, lightly enough to not actually hurt her, but enough that Emma could feel it obstructing her breathing. Her whole body stilled, totally focused on not moving under the pressure of the heel stabbing into her throat.

“I could end your life just like any other bug that bothers me, and it would be so easy.”

Then Regina’s magic was washing over her again briskly, leaving her naked and exposed to the drafty throne room air. Her clothes completely gone, and nowhere to be seen.

“Although,” Regina trailed off, her heel lifting off Emma’s neck as she stepped over the blonde sprawled on the stone floor as if she were nothing but a stick in her path. The ends of her sumptuous riding coat brushing over Emma’s face before the Queen turned to look at her.

Regina cocked her head to the side, watching Emma for a long time as the blonde turned a darker shade of pink than she’d ever seen.

With a flick of her wrist Emma was on her feet, disoriented and blinking away the magic that had just abruptly enraptured her.

Regina thought briefly of knocking her over again before the girl got her bearings but thought better of it. Deciding instead to run the tips over her fingers along the blonde’s chest, over her heart.

She smirked when Emma’s breath hitched, her body leaning closer. That would absolutely never grow old to her.

“If you were telling the truth,” Regina said, her voice low and simpering, “I guess you would have nothing to hide from your Queen would you dear?”

Emma leaned closer begging Regina to put magic and force behind her light touches, but the mayor was not one to be rushed. She was enjoying Emma’s desperation, the last thing she wanted was to end this game before she was ready.

She chuckled, “I don’t think anyone has ever leaned into my touch like that.”

It wasn’t necessarily something the Queen would have said, but in that moment, she needed Emma to know how much her trust meant. There weren’t many people lining up to have the Evil queen take their heart.

Emma leaned harder in her fingers, angling her face so she was a hair’s threat away from Regina’s lips.

“I guess I just have nothing to hide from you.” Emma all but whispered, and without any warning Regina was kissing her hard. Her fingers tangling in Emma’s long hair as the kiss deepened.

Emma wriggled in the Queen’s grasp, all she wanted was to free her hands and tug Regina flush against her.

Regina chuckled against the blonde’s lips, before transporting them onto the throne; Regina still impeccably dressed in royal blue and black, Emma naked and straddling her lap.

Emma’s breath hitched as her spread center made contact Regina’s leather clad thighs making Regina smirk, grabbing Emma’s hips possessively to pull her down harder onto her legs.

Emma rolled her hips against the material, her wetness making the leather slide effortlessly against her.

Regina snorted, transfixed on the way Emma was moving on top of her.

“You are such a needy girl, absolutely drenched.” She murmured, her hands moving over Emma’s breast. Pinching at her nipples until it disrupted her rhythm against the Queens leg.

Regina smirked watching Emma yelp, her hips sputtering out of rhythm before she released her letting her hands continue gliding over Emma’s exposed skin.

“You look so pretty like this.” The Queen commented one of her hands settling over Emma’s heart. Her eyes gleaming with mischief as the other hand ran over the expanse of Emma’s stomach, letting her nails scratch over her skin, leaving red marks behind.

Emma whimpered, her head falling forward onto the Queen’s shoulder as Regina’s other hand made contact with her cunt for the first time all night.

“Please.”

Regina chuckled slicking her fingers through Emma’s wetness as the girl’s hips canted desperately.

“Desperate girl.” She chided, the superior smirk evident in her voice, as her fingers slid over Emma’s opening.

Emma wined into the Queen’s neck “Please my Queen. Need you.”

Regina’s eyes nearly rolled back in her head at those words mixed with her girl’s eagerness, however, Emma was too preoccupied to notice the effect her display was getting.

Suddenly the hand against Emma’s chest was humming on her skin, Regina’s fingers tracing over her heart, the queens other hand poised at her entrance.

Emma’s eyes shot opened, Regina had never put intent behind her teasing. Never placed magic in the hand she held of her heart. Her pulse was pounding in her ears, as she sat up in the Queen’s embrace, eyes wide and filled with lust.

Regina smirked leaning closer until her lips were just barely touching Emma’s. Emma stilled, wanting more than anything to lean closer but having learned in the past month of them dating that would only make Regina pull away with a haughty laugh.

“Ask me again Em-ma.” It wasn’t a question, Regina’s voice dark and fueled by the lust filled magic she was holding back.

Emma whined, her hips jumping at the sound of Regina’s rough voiced demands.

“Please.” She paused, trying to get in a solid breath “My Queen I need you.”

Regina smiled brightly plunging her fingers into Emma’s dripping heat. Watching as her girl arched backwards, Emma’s eyes going shut with the feel of being suddenly full of her fingers.

Emma moaned loudly, wanton and on a completely different planet as she rolled her hips, meeting Regina’s thrusts. Moaning as Regina fingers curled into her with each outward motion.

“God! Fuck!” Emma growled, her eyes rolling back in her head as Regina’s fingers began a quick come-hither motion. The wet sounds of Regina relentlessly fucking her two fingers into Emma’s increasingly wet pussy echoed in the otherwise empty throne room. 

Regina snorted at Emma’s exclamation, feeling her girl’s walls grip her fingers tightly. She was close, but they both knew Emma couldn’t come from this alone.

“Please.” Emma slurred out, drunk on the feeling of Regina curling into her g-spot with lazy hard strokes, no longer bothering to push in and out. They both knew what she really needed,

“Your majesty, please touch me.”

Regina rolled her eyes, looking at the girl with disdain.

“I am touching you, you needy little brat.”

Emma whined, “I need you to.” She paused, “To...” She began again, trailing off before she even really started.

The Queen brought her free hand back up to Emma’s chest, putting magic behind her touch as she teased her fingers over Emma’s heart.

“You need what dearest?” Regina cooed, her voice dripping with obviously fake sympathy. Magic flowed through her, her fingers angling in a movement she had done so many times, but never like this. The thumb of her other hand moving to press into Emma’s clit at the same time.

Emma’s hips jumped, a sob escaping her lips. “Yes, god, please.”

Regina chuckled, letting her fingers push against Emma’s chest teasingly. Her thumb swiping over Emma’s clit as she curled her fingers inside her. Emma was so close, she could feel herself vibrating as she ground down on Regina’s hand.

“I need, please I-“

Then Suddenly Regina’s thumb was pressing against her clit, The Queen’s free hand pushing into her chest and taking her heart in one swift motion. Emma let out a sound somewhere between a pained groan and a noise of pure relief and pleasure as Regina’s warm hand firmly held her heart and lifted it to her lips, her eyes locked on Emma as she whispered.

“Come.”  
The result was instantaneous as her eyes rolled back in her head, her back arching as her shackled hand frantically grabbed at the Queen’s legs to keep herself upright. Regina’s fingers pumping into her, drawing her orgasm out as Emma rolled her hips into the feeling. A loud sound she’d never made before in her life exploding out of her throat and echoing off the stone walls. Darkness edging her vision and stars dancing in her eyes as Regina pulled her fingers free.

Emma collapsed in a heap against Regina, going limp as she came down from the highest high, she’d ever been on.

Her hands now freed from there shackles, Emma’s arms went immediately to explore. Her lazy post-orgasm fingers sliding through Regina’s hair, piled onto of her head, touching the fastenings of the corset and riding coat.

“That was fucking incredible.”

Emma felt Regina chuckle, her lips now wondering over the exposed flesh of the Queen’s breasts. Her tongue darting out to lick over the area between Regina’s breasts, hands dancing over the corset under her ridding coat.

Regina breath hitched, and she shifted between Emma’s legs making the sheriff smile against her skin. At this point it was not secret how sensitive Regina’s breasts were, she had more than figured that out the first time they had sex.

“I want to keep playing but I also just want you now.”

Regina smiled, her free hand winding into Emma tangled curls. “You have me.” she purred, lips breathing the shell of Emma’s ear.

Emma nipped at the top of one of breasts, making the older woman’s hand tighten around her heart just a fraction of an inch. It didn’t hurt, but the pressure was there, as ran her lips over Regina’s neck.

“I want you naked and spread, with my heart in your hand telling me exactly how to touch you.”

Regina groaned, her hips coming off the throne a fraction of an inch.

“Yes.” The Queen let out, needier than intended but she was more than ready. Regina’s head lulled to the side to give Emma more access to her neck.

Emma pulled back a bit “Regina please tell me this castle has a bed.”

Regina waved her hand and Emma founder herself standing in a very ornate bedroom with a four-poster bed.  
Emma gazed around her in amazement, she could feel Regina’s magic humming in the air. She knew this was all her little creation. She made a replica of her castle for them to spend the weekend in playing games and being together and Emma was in total awe.

“I love you.”

The words were out of her mouth before she knew what she was saying, her cheeks going hot. They’d barely been dating for a month, and she was absolutely head over heels in love with this woman. Sparing a glance at Regina, the queen seemed just as surprised.

Regina felt her heart swell in her chest in a way it hadn’t since she was a young girl. Her stomach filled with butterflies, her whole mind filled with fuzzy thoughts as she stood staring at Emma, holding her beating heart in her hand. Her eyes welled up with tears, and she blinked trying to hold them back.

“Do you mean that, or are you just saying because I’m holding your life in my right hand?”

Emma snorted, she hadn’t meant to say that, not yet but,

“Yes, I love you.”

Regina was quiet for a moment before she moved forward pushing Emma’s heart back into her chest as gently as she could. Her hands shaking and her own heart beating out of her chest.

“Now say it again.” She demanded, making Emma chuckle.

“I love you, Regina Mills.”

Regina let out a shaky breath, her eyes closing as she tried very hard to wrap her mind around that.

“I love you too.” She finally whispered, a smile splitting her face as Emma beamed at her tugging her into a kiss by the waist.

A very sweet moment passed before Emma spoke again “I still want you naked and ordering me around but…”

Regina nodded finishing the thought, “Not right now.” Emma nodded and Regina paused before she added, “Well Henry doesn’t get back from the bay area till Monday morning so…” 

Regina shrugged wrapping her arms around Emma’s neck and letting her words trail off, a soft smile on her lips when Emma grabbed her waist.  
“I guess I’m all yours till then.”

Emma’s hear fluttered, her mind racing with the possibilities of what she and Regina could get up to in a full two days. A smile spread across her face before captured Regina’s lips, the hands that were on her waist slipping lower to pick her up and carry her to the bed.

Regina let out a startled noise, her hands tightening around Emma’s neck, her legs wrapping around the sheriff’s waist as she was walked backwards and laid out on the bed. Emma on her in a flash, her lips at her neck, as she fiddled with the old-world clasps on the Queen’s clothes. Quickly growing frustrated with the unfamiliar hardware.

Regina chuckled, removing all her clothes with a flick of her wrist. Emma leaned back admiring Regina openly, making her preen and flush under the attention.

“How many field trips do you think we can feasibly send our kid on in a year?”

Regina snorted her hands tugging Emma’s waist between her spread legs. “Don’t push it, dear.”


End file.
